Bangladesh students call for fresh protests, govt intensifies security

A faction of students have alleged that statements by their leaders were made under coercion while under police custody

A faction of students in Bangladesh has called for fresh street protests on Monday despite the government’s recent decision to reform the job quota system. This move followed the Supreme Court’s order on July 21 to reduce the quota for reserved posts from 56 per cent to 7 per cent, with 93 per cent of jobs now open to merit-based candidates.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government issued a Gazette notification aligning with the court’s decision. Student leader Nahid Islam announced the withdrawal of protests, acknowledging that their main demand for logical reforms to the job quota system had been met.

However, a faction of students has alleged that their leaders were coerced into making this announcement while in police custody.

In response to the renewed call for protests, the Bangladesh Army and paramilitary troops patrolled Dhaka’s streets, with police enforcing strict vigilance to prevent fresh violence. Security forces, including armoured personnel carriers, were deployed to guard major points in the capital.

Bangladesh quota protests

Last week, a nationwide curfew and army deployment aimed to quell the protests against job quotas, which resulted in over 200 deaths. The unrest, which began in universities and colleges, quickly expanded into broader anti-government agitation. Major government installations were damaged, and several thousand people, including policemen, were wounded.

Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo reported 210 deaths, including 113 children, and approximately 9,000 arrests made nationwide since the unrest began. Government leaders attributed the violence to the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party and their student activists, supported by the main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which had boycotted the elections on January 7.

Following the disbandment of protests, authorities restored internet services after a 10-day disconnection.  

According to a Bloomberg report, the protests and subsequent curfews significantly impacted Bangladesh's economy. The Foreign Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) estimated economic losses around $10 billion, with the garment industry alone incurring losses of Bangladeshi Taka 6,400,000 ($545,167).